With just a few days left, the German national soccer team is nervously awaiting its date with destiny -- a World Cup playoff against the Ukraine on November 10.

For the first time in history, the German team is forced to go into playoffs rather than winning its way into the list of candidates for the 2002 World Cup. If the Germans lose against the Ukraine, they won't qualify to play in the big league next year.

The German team coach Rudi Völler is under a lot of pressure to pull his team through safely. If he fails, he's most likely out of a job.

When Völler took over the demoralized team after a crushing 2000 season and an embarrassing defeat in last year's Euro Cup, he was hailed as the savior of German soccer. Now, if Germany fails to come through the qualifying round in the Ukraine, Völler will be forced to resign.

The Ukraine match is important for the German soccer team's image. The Germans need to beat Ukraine over two legs - starting in Kiev on the 10th and followed up in Dortmund on the 14th - if they want to play in the world tournaments in Japan and South Korea.

The German team has a proud history as three time World Cup winners, but this year their chances of even participating are questionable at best.

Vilified but Loved

The popular German newspaper "Bild" has said the team was 'stupid' and 'incapable' and Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer was also critical of the players' performance.

But Beckenbauer, generally referred to as German football's "Kaiser" after captaining the victorious 1974 World Cup team and coaching the team that won in 1990, backed Rudi Völler on Tuesday.

Beckenbauer pointed out that Germany has come close to failure before. In 1989 the team was on the point of not qualifying after a miserable match against Wales. One year later they won the World Cup for a unified Germany.

Most German Bundesliga coaches and managers are heading to the game in Kiev as a sign of solidarity and will pay for the trip out of their own pockets.